Outdoor power points live a tough life: sun, rain, garden hoses, extension leads and gear left plugged in. When one keeps tripping the safety switch, it's usually water, a damaged outlet or the equipment plugged into it.
If simple checks don't solve it, ring 0421 772 661. We'll test the outlet, the cable to it and the circuit.
Don't touch an outdoor outlet that is wet, cracked or has water inside the cover, and never handle plugs or leads while standing in water or wet grass. If the outlet is damaged, scorched or smells burnt, leave the circuit off and call an electrician. Call 000 if there's fire or anyone has been shocked.
Reset the safety switch once with dry hands. If it trips again, leave it off. Don't run outdoor equipment from an indoor outlet through a window to get around the problem.
Outdoor power points are protected by a safety switch because people use them in damp conditions with tools and appliances that can be damaged. That protection is sensitive by design. Any current leaking through moisture, a nicked lead or a worn appliance is enough to trip it.
Most of the time the outlet is warning you about something real. The task is working out whether the fault is in the outlet and its cable, or in what's plugged into it.
Do these in dry conditions, with dry hands, and with the outlet switched off when plugging or unplugging.
Switch off and unplug all leads and equipment from the outdoor outlet, then reset the safety switch. If it stays on, the fault is likely in something you unplugged.
Plug items back in one at a time. Whatever trips it, stop using and have it tested or repaired.
Look for cuts, crushed sections, taped joins and lead connectors left on the ground. Damaged extension leads are a frequent cause.
Make sure the weatherproof cover closes fully and isn't cracked, and that nothing is holding it open.
If it only trips after rain, dew or hosing, water is getting in somewhere. Our safety switch trips when it rains page covers this.
Faulty equipment. Pressure washers, pond and pool pumps, lawnmowers, garden lighting transformers and heaters often develop insulation faults that trip safety switches.
Water in the outlet. Older or damaged weatherproof outlets, or ones mounted where water runs down the wall or splashes from a tap, collect moisture.
Damaged cabling. Cable to the outlet can be damaged by garden work, pests or UV, especially where it runs externally or underground without suitable protection.
Shared circuit faults. The outdoor outlet may share its safety switch with other circuits. The trip may come from elsewhere; noting which switch trips helps. For general tripping, see safety switch keeps tripping.
We test the outlet, the circuit's insulation and the safety switch, and inspect the cable route. Fixes range from replacing a weathered outlet with a suitably rated weatherproof one, to relocating it away from water, to repairing or replacing a damaged cable run.
If you're adding power outdoors or to a shed, power to a shed or garage explains how it should be installed. For garden lighting, see our outdoor lighting guide.
Usually moisture, a damaged outlet or cable, or faulty equipment plugged into it. Unplugging everything and resetting helps show which.
Most likely it's the pressure washer or its lead. Have the equipment checked; if other equipment also trips it, get the outlet tested.
Not as a fix. Running leads through windows creates new risks. Get the outdoor outlet or equipment repaired.
They should be rated for outdoor use, but covers crack, seals perish and placement matters. Older outlets may need replacing.
They should be protected by a safety switch. If you're not sure yours is, we can check the switchboard.
NSW Electrical Contractor Licence 332956C · Fully insured · Since 2016 · Based in Hurlstone Park
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